Mount spills his and Abraham’s game plan to defeat Aston Villa

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Dec 5, 2019

Mount spills his and Abraham's game plan to defeat Aston Villa — Bildbyran

Mason Mount reveals the exact game plan that he and Tammy Abraham developed and carried out in order to secure their win against Aston Villa on Wednesday.

Mount scored the winning goal that beat Aston Villa, along with the opening goal shot by striker Tammy Abraham. But it wasn’t just a fluke. In fact, the strategy for the win was planned beforehand.

‘It fell to me and me and Tammy spoke about that, that he would set me if he didn’t have space,’ Mount disclosed after the match.

‘We knew the performance against West Ham wasn’t good enough, we knew we had to win more matches at home and be dominant.

‘We did that, won more tackles and second balls, and we could have scored more goals.’

Chelsea win over Aston Villa bumped them up to the fourth place in the Premier League. Lampard was ecstatic about their win and he was relieved about Chelsea’s performance as opposed to last week’s defeat to West Ham.

‘I thought we were great today. I’m pleased because that was us again, we had a blip against West Ham and today we were back,’ said the Chelsea manager.

‘Our character at half-time was important and we carried off where we left off. The disappointment of the day is we didn’t score two or three.

‘Villa are stubborn, have picked up results on the road and you can see why. They have good players and are well organised.’

See More: Chelsea transfer targets list 2020: possible January transfer targets 2020!

Lampard expects more from players after Aston Villa win

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Aparajita Bhattacharya

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Dec 5, 2019

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Lampard expects more from players after Aston Villa win

Frank Lampard is definitely happy with the Aston Villa win after the disappointment over the West Ham defeat. The Blues beat Villa with a score of 2-1.

Tammy Abraham’s return as a striker proved to be quite integral for this match – he got the opening strike, following by Mason Mount with the winning goal.

“I am happy but I want more,” said Lampard to reporters. “We have had a pretty good start because most people probably expected us otherwise.

“But I want more all the time and I think that the last week has been a good example of that for us.

“I saw us go to Manchester City and trade with them like a big team who was in and around that level, then at West Ham we were not. Today we recovered.

“That shows me where we are to have a real potential to getting where we want to be, but also aware of the little tough bumps in the road.”

“Today (Abraham) came back straight in where he left off,” Lampard said. (Kante’) ability to win the ball, the high intensity to lead into areas and win it back, it’s why he has this tag of being one of the outstanding players in world. It’s a pleasure to have him in my squad.”

See More: Chelsea FC Players Wages 2019 (Salaries Per Week List)

Why Didier Drogba took selfie with Kylian Mbappe at Ballon d’Or ceremony

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Martina Alcheva

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Dec 4, 2019

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Why Didier Drogba took selfie with Kylian Mbappe at Ballon d'Or ceremony — © Bildbyrån

The retired Chelsea legend attended the Ballon d’Or ceremony.

That is where he told an interesting anecdote.

Didier Drogba kept his promise to get clicked with Kylian Mbappe after turning him down in 2009. On the night when Chelsea dramatically lost to Barcelona in the 2009 Champions League semifinal at Stamford Bridge with Drogba playing for the Blues, a then 10-year-old Mbappe was present and asked for a photo with the Ivory Coast star.

The forward had agreed with a friend to pose for a picture but later refused as he was left fuming at the “disgrace” refereeing during the match. But on Monday at the Ballon D’Or awards, Mbappe was present with Drogba hosting the show. Drogba presented the Frenchman a trophy for coming sixth in the overall rankings.

“10 years ago after Chelsea vs Barcelona, a child came to me and wanted to take a picture,” Drogba was quoted as saying by The Mirror. “That day I said no because of the disgraceful refereeing decisions. I learned that the child was Kylian Mbappe. I want to pay my debt now.”

A picture to remember! @SandyHeribert @KMbappe @didierdrogba #ballondor pic.twitter.com/bgzJpfqLBk
— #BallondOr (@francefootball) December 2, 2019

Drogba then asked all the guests to stand up as he snapped a selfie of him posing with Mbappe, and fellow presenter and TV host Sandy Heribert. While Mbappe now has a selfie with one of his childhood heroes, he has previously revealed that he did get a snap with Drogba during a spell training with Chelsea as a young hopeful.

The Stamford Bridge outfit passed up the opportunity to bring him into their academy back then, with the London giants left to rue that decision, but they did help to build ambition in a player who is now considered to be one of the finest on the planet.

Chelsea identify Leicester’s Ben Chilwell as top January target

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Martina Alcheva

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Dec 4, 2019

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Chelsea identify Leicester's Ben Chilwell as top January target — © Bildbyrån

There is a chance the transfer ban is lifted in January.

As a result, Chelsea have set their eyes on what could be the first arrival.

Chelsea have earmarked Leicester City full-back Ben Chilwell as their top target for the January transfer window, according to a report. The 22-year-old has been one of the standout performers for his side this season, chipping in with a goal and three assists in 12 Premier League games to help the Foxes mount a serious challenge for a top-four spot.

Leicester boss Brendan Rodgers has previously insisted that his side are under no financial obligations to sell the England international, who has also been linked with Manchester United. According to The Athletic, however, Leicester could be braced for a bid from Chelsea for the wing-back should their transfer ban be overturned by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).

The Blues had a hearing over the validity of the two-window ban in November and the source claims that if all goes well, the London club will put their pursuit of Chilwell as their top priority in January. It is claimed that boss Frank Lampard is keen to address the current issue he has at left-back; Marcos Alonso and Emerson Palmieri are the club’s two current left-backs but neither is standing out to Lampard.

Therfore, the former Blues midfielder wants to get Chilwell in and put the problem to bed. The report comes following earlier claims from Calciomercato that Juventus are preparing to go after Emerson in January. The Italian outlet have said that Juve manager Maurizio Sarri wants to reunite with the Italian, the pair having worked together when Sarri was at Stamford Bridge last season.

Frank Lampard Anticipates A ‘Emotional’ Stamford Bridge Return For John Terry

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Bishwaraj Bhattacharyya

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Dec 4, 2019

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Frank Lampard Anticipates A 'Emotional' Stamford Bridge Return For John Terry

Frank Lampard believes it will a “pretty emotional” night for his former Chelsea teammate and Aston Villa coach, John Terry when the two sides meet at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday.

“It’s not much different for me, I went up against him twice last year,” Lampard said.

“We obviously get on very well and I’ve got huge respect for him and the work he and Dean Smith have done there with Aston Villa. So I think it’s more about John, and the reception he’ll quite rightly get from the Chelsea fans – the most decorated captain, the greatest captain who won everything.

“He feels the club, everyone knows that, and I’m sure the fans will certainly show their appreciation. I’m sure it will be pretty emotional for John, and he deserves that moment, and I’ll certainly be pleased to see his face back at the Bridge.”

“It will be special for him,” Smith added of Terry’s return. “He’ll get an unbelievable reception from their supporters and rightly so.

“He’s very important. I love working with JT. He’s brought something different to our coaching set-up. I feel like he’s come into his own with us getting promoted to the Premier League. He’s getting better and better as a coach. I’ve championed him a long time, saying he will eventually be a top manager as well.”

Frank Lampard Hinted At Returning Pulisic To Number Nine Role

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Bishwaraj Bhattacharyya

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Dec 4, 2019

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Frank Lampard Hinted At Returning Pulisic To Number Nine Role

Frank Lampard hinted at playing Christian Pulisic at number nine despite it not working out against West Ham.

Olivier Giroud started during last Saturday’s 0-1 defeat but was taken off late in the game for Callum Hudson-Odoi. This saw Pulisic move up to the striker spot and play as a false nine.

It shocked many as Lampard had Michy Batshuayi on the bench as another option. Speaking about Giroud’s performance, Lampard said, “It was a difficult game for him obviously,’ Lampard said of the French forward’s performance.

“He probably didn’t get enough ball, and then the couple of chances he had didn’t go in for him, so a tough match for him but he wasn’t the only one who comes into a team and a performance that was slightly off it.

“Michy’s had a lot of performances to come on recently and made a difference in certain games, but it was just the choice for this game.”

“I don’t want to talk about match fitness or sharpness because we train hard here,” added the boss. “I get it, I was a player and when you’re not playing regularly you’re need for games is big, but we have to be ready to try and come in.

“We shouldn’t isolate individuals because they haven’t played, because then you could talk about a player who has been playing every game and wasn’t quite sharp. The reasons are not always as they seem.”

When asked if Pulisic could return to his make-shift role, Lampard replied, “We’ll see. He does have an ability to run behind the line, and to be sharp in central areas which will naturally get him more goals. I am not going to say right now if that is the solution, but we will see as we go forward.”

Chelsea Boss Praises John Terry’s Influence On Turning Abraham Into A Lethal Number Nine

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Bishwaraj Bhattacharyya

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Dec 4, 2019

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Chelsea Boss Praises John Terry's Influence On Turning Abraham Into A Lethal Number Nine

Chelsea hailed John Terry’s impact on Tammy Abraham and how he helped the 22-year-old cement a starting berth at Chelsea.

Abraham spent the past season on loan at Aston Villa and ended up scoring 26 goals in the Championship. His wonderful scoring tally has carried over to the Premier League with the Englishman scoring 10 goals in 13 league games.

“It was an important loan for him to go to a big club, where the responsibility is strong on you as the main man up front to score goals,” Lampard said. “He obviously reacted well to that and scored a lot. He worked on his game. I saw that. He would have been all the better for working closely with Dean and John in that role there.

“It gave him confidence and it felt the right time for him to come back after that. Now he’s had a few loans, he’s scored goals, he’s proved it. It was very natural for the progression from my point of view for him to come back.

“What I saw last year in the Championship impressed me, and what I saw from the first day of pre-season impressed me. That’s why I decided to give him the number nine shirt.

“I felt, even though people were questioning it because maybe it’s seen as something that’s not been a huge success, to give that burden on someone, Tammy seemed the right personality to take that. Fortunately to this point he’s shown that he can.”

SEE MORE: Chelsea FC Biggest Wins & Losses and Highest Scoring Draws

Chelsea hopeful of Tammy Abraham return for Aston Villa clash

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Martina Alcheva

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Dec 3, 2019

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Chelsea hopeful of Tammy Abraham return for Aston Villa clash — © Bildbyrån

Blues forward has been out of action since damaging his hip.

However, Lampard is hopeful he can return against former club.

Chelsea manager Frank Lampard is praying for the quick return of injured striker Tammy Abraham. The 22-year-old has emerged as a star for the Blues this season and was sorely missed as they fell to a 1-0 home defeat against West Ham on Saturday.

Olivier Giroud deputised for his younger teammate at Stamford Bridge but laboured up front as Aaron Cresswell’s goal handed Manuel Pellegrini’s side a much-needed derby win. Chelsea face Aston Villa on Wednesday night and are hoping Abraham can add to his Premier League goals tally of 10 against the side he helped achieve promotion from the Championship last season.

Abraham pulled up with a hip injury in the 2-2 draw with Valencia last week and was not named in the squad to face West Ham on Sunday. Although Lampard struck a cautious tone after Saturday’s defeat, he sounded more positive in a press conference on Tuesday.

“We are giving him every opportunity to play tomorrow,” the Chelsea manager was quoted saying by Daily Mail. “We will make the call tomorrow, he has a little bit of pain. He was in good form, he is always keen, he is trying his best.”

The Cheaper Alternative To Ben Chilwell Chelsea Should Sign!

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Bishwaraj Bhattacharyya

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Dec 3, 2019

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The Cheaper Alternative To Ben Chilwell Chelsea Should Sign!

It might not be premature to say the first player Chelsea is going to try and sign, once the transfer ban is lifted, is Ben Chillwell.

We all know the one position that the Blues are the weakest at and that is the left-back post. Emerson Palmieri has been given the run around this season and has proven to be only a faster version of Marcos Alonso with the same defensive gaps in his games. Riyad Mahrez made the Italian chase his own tail in the 2-1 defeat at Etihad last month and proceeded to score a stunning goal.

Frank Lampard is also eager to create a core group of British talent with the likes of Mason Mount, Tammy Abraham, Reece James and Fikayo Tomori already turning into regulars. It has been reported that the Blues boss has set his eyes on Leicester City’s Chilwell, the 22-year-old fullback who has turned into an 11-cap England international.

Gareth Southgate rates him so highly that Danny Rose has been made to take a backseat in the late Euro 2020 qualifiers. And Chilwell, fully deserves all the praise he has been earning lately. He got to make his debut for Leicester in December 2016 and now, he is helping the Foxes make a title challenge under Brendan Rodgers. He has played 12 games in the Premier League this season, scored 1 goal and laid out 3 assists. He is winning over 50% of his tackles and has also created 5 key opportunities. The Englishman is fast on the break and is equally diligent with his defensive responsibilities.

One can hardly think of a better young fullback in the current market and that is where the problem is. Don’t expect Leicester to simply hand Chilwell over for anything short of a record sum. They sold Harry Maguire for £80m and will definitely demand either more or a fee nearer to that sum. Chelsea are not shy spenders, given how they just agreed to pay £71.5m for Kepa. Their hands might just be itching to clear all that stored cash at the back of a transfer ban. But why can’t we consider a cheaper and yet, equally good alternative?

For instance, Alex Grimaldo. Do you know he has been the called the next Jordi Alba? The Benfica man is a product of the highly coveted Barcelona youth academy. He was sold off by the Blaugrana in 2016 for only €1.5m and now, he is being regarded as the next best left-back in Europe.

Grimaldo’s performances in Lisbon drew in interests from Atletico Madrid but the La Liga outfit settled on signing the cheaper Renan Lodi. Sure, Grimaldo is a couple of years older than Chilwell but that also means he is more developed. The 24-year-old boosts off like a rocket on the flanks and can really fit into Lampard’s attacking style of play. He is far more technical than Chilwell and can really give Chelsea an attacking outlet like the one Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool has.

The best part is, both Grimaldo and Chilwell signed extensions with their clubs till the summer of 2024. However, Chilwell’s price shot up to around £60-70m while Grimaldo can be acquired for only £40m. The latter is held in high regards by Pep Guardiola as well, from his time at Barcelona. It is clear that Grimaldo is ready to take the next step into his career and this should be Chelsea‘s time to strike – if the transfer ban is lifted in January!

Chelsa Offer Forward To AC Milan

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Bishwaraj Bhattacharyya

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Dec 3, 2019

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According to Calcio Mercato, Chelsea hae offered Olivier Giroud to AC Milan.

The Rossonerri are thought to be interested in him for a long time and are willing to take him off of Chelsea’s hands.

It has been made clear that Giroud is not in Frank Lampard’s long-term plans. The Frenchman turned 33 this year and is nearing the end of his career. He is also not particularly suited to Lampard’s style of play.

With Tammy Abraham out injured, Giroud was given in the number nine spot against West Ham but he failed to impress. It seemed like the striker’s final chance at staking out a future spot at Stamford Bridge but alas, his time might just be up.

There has been interest from his home country but a move to Italian giants, AC Milan could add to his impressive resume. Chelsea signed him for £18m nearly two years back from Arsenal.

They can hardly expect to raise a quarter of that fee but getting him off of their wage books will help in future additions. The Blues are expecting to lift their transfer ban in January which will allow Frank Lampard to make his first signing.